Youth leaders, private-sector partners, and city officials called on young people to take action to protect the ocean at a UNESCO-led event marking the International Day of Education, held at Bangkok’s Children’s Discovery Museum.
By marking the International Day of Education through ocean-focused learning, UNESCO reaffirmed its commitment to SDG4 and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), while empowering children and youth as agents of change and connecting what young people learn today with the choices they make for the planet tomorrow.
‘The ocean is not just a part of nature, it is part of our future. When young people are given space to learn, speak up and take action, we feel a real responsibility to protect it for the generations that come after us,’ said Sisaran Patavekarn, a youth representative from the Environmental Education Centre (EEC), who took part in the discussion.
The remarks were made during a panel discussion introducing a new immersive ocean education exhibition, which UNESCO handed over to the Bangkok Children’s Discovery Museum on 8 January, Thailand’s National Children’s Day. It uses interactive digital tools, including virtual and augmented reality games, to help children explore ocean ecosystems, understand human impacts, and connect everyday choices to ocean health. The exhibition is part of Sustaining Our Oceans: Building Healthy Relationships with Oceans in South-East Asia through Education for Sustainable Development, a regional initiative led by UNESCO and supported by Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., the parent company of UNIQLO. Implemented through UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme in Indonesia, Thailand, and Viet Nam, the project responds to shared ocean challenges such as pollution and biodiversity loss by using education to connect young people with the ecosystems they depend on.
‘The ocean connects us all. Its future is our future’, said Rika Yorozu, Education Programme Specialist at the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and Office for UN Coordination for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCO Bangkok). ‘By uniting education, innovation, and the power of youth, we can help ensure that this future is resilient and sustainable.’
Yoshitake Wakakuwa, Chief Executive Officer, UNIQLO (Thailand) Company Limited said ‘UNIQLO’s commitment to the ocean environment is rooted in our brand philosophy, “Unlocking the Power of Clothing,” which seeks to turn high-quality apparel into a “force for good” by balancing industry growth with the protection of natural resources. UNIQLO Thailand aims to highlight our commitment to supporting the environment, the community, and the youth through our “Sustaining Our Oceans” initiatives. We continue to support children through several social responsibility programs focused on clothing donations and sports, as well as education and innovation. From this partnership, we believe that it will help Thai youth to move beyond mere awareness, inspiring our community to take active steps in protecting Thailand’s oceans.’
‘At the Children’s Discovery Museum, we believe learning should go beyond the classroom,’ said Mr Piyawat Saisang, Director of the Library and Learning Division at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. ‘Through this collaboration with UNESCO, ocean education will reach more children, families, and communities across Bangkok.’
The exhibition is now open to the public at the Bangkok Children’s Discovery Museum (Chatuchak) and reflects UNESCO’s ongoing commitment to advancing Education for Sustainable Development and empowering young people as agents of change for a more sustainable future.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/youth-voices-call-ocean-action-unesco-marks-international-day-education-bangkok
